- Title: The Higher Mortals
- Date: 25th September 1994
- Summary: CRABBE COLLEGE IS A MINOR PUBLIC SCHOOL FOR GIRLS. THE RECESSION HAS HIT IT HARD. THE OWNERS OF SMALL BUSINESSES, WHO FORM THE MAJORITY OF THE PARENTS, HAVE LOST THEIR LIVELIHOOD AND WITHDRAWN THEIR DAUGHERS. THE ROLL IS FALLING DRASTICALLY AND THE HEADMISTRESS, MISS THROROGOOD, BRACES HERSELF FOR THE SCHOOL'S CLOSURE AT THE END OF THE YEAR. BUT THE GOVERNMENT HAS A RESCUE PLAN FOR THE LARGE NUMBER OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN THIS PREDICAMENT. IN ONE FELLS SWOOP THEY WILL SOLVE THIS PROBLEM AND THE INCREASING PROBLEM OF TRUANTS AND YOUNG OFFENDERS EXCLUDED FROM THE TOTTERING STATE SYSTEM. THEY WILL PROVIDE ASSISTED PLACES FOR THE PROBLEM CHILDREN, TUCK THEM AWAY IN THE COUNTRY, AND LET THE RAREFIED ATMOSPHERE OF STUDY AND WILDLIFE WORK ITS CHARM UPON THEM, RETURNING THEM TO SOCIETY A THE END OF THEIR SCHOOL CAREERS AS INTEGRATED AND WELL-ADJUSTED CITIZENS. CRABBE COLLEGE RECEIVES ITS QUOTA OF PROBLEM GIRLS ... AND BOYS, TURNING IT INTO A MIXED SCHOOL FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ITS HISTORY ... A VERY MIXED SCHOOL. WE EXAMINE THE EFFECTS OF THE NEWCOMERS UPON A SMALL GROUP OF GIRLS, WHO HAVE FORMED THEMSELVES INTO A SECRET SOCIETY CALLED THE HIGHER MORTALS AND OBSERVE THE PROBLEM CHILDREN, PRODUCTS OF AN UNCARING EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM AND FAMILIES UNDER STRESS, TURN CRABBE COLLEGE INTO A PLACE OF VIOLENCE AND ANARCHY.
- Description:When a small public girls school is hit by the recession,the only rescue is to admit girls from a Government scheme who have fallen foul of even the State system. Life at Crabbe College will never be the same again.
- Broadcaster:Channel 4
- Collection: Channel 4
- Genre:Documentary and Factual
- Producer:CHILDREN'S FILM UNIT
- Programme Episode:Episode 1
- Transmission Date:25/09/1994
- Rights:On Request
- Decade: 1990s